What are Ovaries? Ovaries are reproductive glands found only in females (women). They produce eggs (ova) for reproduction. What is Ovarian Cancer? Ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat worldwide. Studies show that the quality of treatment greatly affects the diagnosis. Ovarian cancers were previously believed to begin only in the ovaries but recent evidence shows that many ovarian cancers may actually start in the cells in the far (distal) end of the fallopian tubes. Cancer starts when cells in the ovary begin to grow out of control (metastasis). Causes of Ovarian Cancer- It is caused by a variety of factors such as: (i) Endometriosis (ii) Diabetes. (iii) Smoking (iv) Early menstruation and menopause. (v) Those who have inherited a faulty gene called BRCA gene. (vi) Obesity and overweight (vii) People with a history of breast or bowel cancer. (viii) People who had radiotherapy for previous cancer treatment. (ix) Risk of developing ovarian cancer increases with age, mainly over 60 years. Types of Ovarian Cancer- The ovaries are mainly made up of 3 kinds of cells. Each type of cell can develop into a different type of tumor. These tumors can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

1. Epithelial ovarian tumors: these start from the cells that cover the outer surface of the ovary. Most of the ovarian tumors are epithelial cell tumors.
2. Germ cell tumors: these start from the cells that produce the eggs (ova)
3. Stromal tumors:    start from structural tissue cells that hold the ovary together and produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Symptoms-

1. Sudden weight loss or weight gain.
2. Changes in bowel habits such as constipation and indigestion.
3. Fatigue
4. Abdominal or lower tummy pain
5. Loss of appetite
6. Frequent urination
7. Abdominal bloating or increased abdomen size.

Diagnosis and Treatment-

1. Physical examination:  this includes the recto-vaginal examination with the empty bladder to evaluate for pelvic and abdominal masses.  
2. Transvaginal ultrasonography: In case of any abnormal pelvic mass, women should undergo ultrasonography.
3. Surgeries:  Primary treatment for ovarian cancer. It is used for cytoreduction (debulking).
4. Other tests: These include colonoscopy, laparoscopy, biopsy etc.
5. Medicines/ Chemotherapy:  Postsurgical adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for late-stage disease and stage II cases.

Prevention and Control-

1. Maintaining proper hygiene and cleanliness.
2. Routine gynecologist checkups.
3. Women who have a high-risk family history should be referred for genetic testing.

Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder in which the body makes inadequate or abnormal form of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein present in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen to all the other cells in the body. When there’s less hemoglobin (anemia), red blood cells do not function properly and eventually results in disruption of the red blood cells. Inheriting a faulty thalassemia gene from both the parents, creates the trait for thalassemia and in major cases there’s a need for blood transfusion. Causes- It is caused by a variety of factors such as: (i) Caused by the mutations in the gene responsible for the production of hemoglobin. (ii) People with a family history of thalassemia. (ii) Ethnicity of the people, most common in African Americans and in Southeast Asians. Types of Thalassemia- Hemoglobin, a protein which is made of two subunits- Alpha globin and Beta globin.

1. Alpha thalassemia- it occurs when the gene related to the alpha globin is mutated.
2. Beta thalassemia- when gene associated with beta globin is mutated.

There are two forms of thalassemia-

1. Thalassemia minor- When the person inherits the faulty gene from only one parent. They are the carriers of thalassemia and do not show any symptoms.
2. Thalassemia major- It is developed when the person inherits the faulty gene from both the parents. Beta thalassemia major is also known as the Cooley anemia.

Symptoms-

1. Pale skin
2. Dark urine
3. Constant fatigue and weakness
4. Enlarged Spleen
5. Abdominal pain and swelling
6. Bone deformities
7. Delayed growth and development
8. Heart problems such as abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) associated with severe thalassemia.

Diagnosis and Treatment-

1. Blood examination
2. Careful blood transfusions in case of thalassemia major.
3. Undergo thalassemia screening test (Blood HPLC/thalassemia test) to check the chance of being a thalassemia carrier.
4. Medications and health supplements.
5. Bone marrow transplantation in major cases.

Prevention and Control-

1. Routine blood tests.
2. Periodic consultation with the doctor.
3. Maintain healthy lifestyle and proper balanced diet.
4. Regular exercise
5. Consult a genetic counselor to determine the risk of passing thalassemia to your children.
6. Take prescribed medicines.

Asthma (also called Bronchial Asthma) is a long-term condition in which the air passages in the lungs become narrow due to inflammation and tightening of the muscles around the small airways. It makes breathing difficult and can make some physical activities challenging or even impossible. Causes- It is caused by a variety of factors such as: (i) Extreme weather conditions like air pollution, environmental irritants, allergens etc. (ii) Respiratory infections, people exposed to tobacco smoke, strong chemicals. (iii) People with a family history of Asthma or other allergic diseases have a high risk of developing asthma. (iv) Exercise (v) Certain medications like Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin etc. Types of Asthma-

1. Exercise-induced asthma:  It is triggered by exercise and is also called exercise-induced bronchospasm.
2. Occupational asthma: This type of asthma happens to people who work around irritating substances.
3. Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS):  This type happens when a person has both asthma and  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Both diseases make it difficult to breathe.

Symptoms- The most common symptom  is wheezing. There is a whistling sound that occurs when a person breathes. Other asthma symptoms include:

1. coughing, especially at night, when laughing, or during exercise
2. tightness in the chest
3. shortness of breath
4. difficulty talking
5. anxiousness or panic
6. fatigue
7. chest pain
8. rapid breathing
9. frequent infections
10. trouble sleeping

Diagnosis and Treatment-

1. Bronchodilators:  These medicines relax the muscles around the airways which helps to move the air and let mucus move more easily through the airways. Used for intermittent and chronic asthma which help to relieve the symptoms.
2. Anti-inflammatory medicines:  These medicines reduce swelling and mucus production in the airways. They make it easier for air to enter and exit your lungs. Mainly used for chronic asthma.
3. Biologic therapies for asthma:  These are used for severe asthma when symptoms persist despite proper inhaler therapy.
4. Medicines:  metered-dose inhalers, nebulizers etc.

Prevention and Control-

1. Wear masks while going outside especially in crowds, polluted places.
2. Prevent exposure to allergens such as dust, pollens, molds, pets etc.
3. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle- nutrient rich diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy BMI as asthma tends to worse in obese people.
4. Management of stress
5. By quitting smoking as smoking triggers Asthma and increases the risk of COPD.
6. Take preventive medicines in case of emergency.

Either you currently have knee osteoarthritis, or just developing knee pain from time to time and worry about the best way of exercise. This health article got some answers for you. Exercising is a vital activity for boosting the immune system as well as your endurance. The most appropriate exercise for patients with knee pain or knee osteoarthritis is the one that causes the least impact at the knee joint. The lesser impact at the knee joint means a lower chance of knee injury, so this is why most research suggests that cycling and swimming are the best exercises for patients with knee problems. Therefore, cycling is a very great exercise for patients with knee osteoarthritis condition. In addition, cycling is also a right choice of exercise for patients who suffer from spondylosis with nerve root compression in some cases (and we will definitely talk about this in later articles). Cycling makes knee joint bend and stretch gently and helps to ease the movement of the joint. Cycling also improves the muscle strength around the knee joint, which ultimately protects the knee joint if there are any impact actions. So it’s wise to say that cycling promotes knee joint health in many ways. Furthermore, cycling is a cardio workout. Cardio workout is known to enhance cardiology strength, improving sleep quality, and a great way to relieve stress. here are so many concerns about whether cycling could cause more severe knee osteoarthritis or not. The answer can be both “yes” and “no”. Usually, cycling cause quite a small impact to the knee joint. The joint also moves gently in a circular motion. Cycling has to be very extreme to develop osteoarthritis condition, like athlete cycling – which involves standing and fast-paced cycling. Cycling in this way causes intense pressure at the knee joint and cartilage. If the knee joint and knee muscle are not strong enough, the knee will be severely injured. Another point to concern is to tone down the pressure at the knee cap during cycling. You can do this by customizing the bicycle appropriately. Adjust the seat to be a little higher. The seat is in a good position when you paddle the pedal to the farthest bottom; your knee position is bending by only 10-15 degrees angle. You may move the seat to the front or the rear as desired. The position of the knee joint when you paddle the pedal at the very front should be absolute vertical and directly match to the thumb joint of the foot. Cycling tips for the beginners:

• Recommend to ride using lesser efforts; you can gradually extend the riding time based on your present conditions
• Stop the ride immediately if there is any pain. Take a break and reduce effort level for the next ride
• Stretch the muscle around your hip joint, knee joint, and ankle joint every time before and after cycling

The preferred bicycle should have these options:

• Can adjust the seat upper or lower to match your physique
• Offers bicycle gears to let you customize the effort level
• If you have neck, shoulder, or back pain, consider the bicycle with high handlebars

Taking good care of your knee joint today surely reduces the risk of osteoarthritis knee, which ultimately lower the concern knee pain as well as the chance for the patient to undergo knee replacement surgery. Having free of pain in your everyday life promotes better life quality.

Sleep apnea is a serious  sleep disorder  that happens when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night. If it’s not treated, sleep apnea can cause a number of health problems, including  hypertension  (high blood pressure),  stroke,  cardiomyopathy  (enlargement of the muscle tissue of the heart),  heart failure,  diabetes  and  heart attacks. Untreated sleep apnea can also be responsible for job impairment, work-related accidents and motor vehicle crashes, as well as underachievement in school in children and adolescents. There are two types of sleep apnea,  obstructive  and  central:

• Obstructive sleep apnea  is the more common of the two. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs as repetitive episodes of complete or partial upper airway blockage during sleep. During an apneic episode, the diaphragm and chest muscles work harder as the pressure increases to open the airway. Breathing usually resumes with a loud gasp or body jerk. These episodes can interfere with sound sleep, reduce the flow of oxygen to vital organs, and cause  heart rhythm irregularities.
• In  central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe due to instability in the respiratory control center. Central apnea is related to the function of the central nervous system.

Who gets sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs in about 25% of men and nearly 10% of women. Sleep apnea can affect people of all ages, including  babies and children  and particularly people over the age of 50 and those who are overweight. Certain physical traits and clinical features are common in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. These include  excessive weight, large neck and structural abnormalities reducing the diameter of the upper airway, such as nasal obstruction, a low-hanging soft palate, enlarged tonsils or a small jaw with an overbite.

What happens when you stop breathing?

When you stop breathing, your heart rate also tends to drop the longer your body is deprived of oxygen. Then, your involuntary reflexes cause you to startle awake at the end of that period of not breathing. When this occurs, your heart rate tends to accelerate quickly and your blood pressure rises. These are changes that take place acutely when you stop breathing. However, your body starts to experience chronic effects if you experience frequent apnea. Data suggests increased risk, particularly when you stop breathing roughly 30 times or more per hour. But there is likely a risk at even lower frequency rates. For example, your blood pressure tends to go up, your heart walls thicken due to increased workload and the structure of your heart changes. It tends to become stiffer and less flexible because there are more fibrous cells growing in between the muscle cells. All of those things increase the risk that you can have either atrial or ventricular arrhythmias. They also tend to reduce the function of the heart so that it’s less efficient at pumping blood.

The third wave have seen a massive surge in the Covid cases. So far, many cases are mild and Doctors are recommending Home Isolation as a pre-emptive measure. Let us know more about 8 important tips on how to keep yourself and others safe.

1. Stay Isolated in one Room: Stay away from your family and other people with Covid symptoms as much as possible
2. Open Windows: Opening windows helps in circulation of the air and reduced the viral load of the room in which you are enclosed. Also try to use a seperate bathroom if there is an option.
3. Avoid shared space as much as possible: When using using shared spaces, limit your movements. Keep your kitchen and other shared spaces well ventilated.
4. Clean often touched surfaces: Frequently use sanitizer and surface disinfectant to clean the surfaces you toch on a regular basis.
5. Avoid sharing personal household items: Avoid sharing items such as dishes, towels, bedding and electronics. If possible, do not allow others to wash your dishes and clothes. Try to do it yourself.
6. Wear a mask: Always wear a mask especially when you are near others. Change your mask every day.
7. Frequently wash your hands: Wash your hands wkith soap. Apply soap and rub your hands for at-least 20 seconds. For complete information on Hand Wash, read our article (20+) Facebook. Also use an alcohol based hand sanitizer thatb contains at-least 60% alcohol.
8. Consult a Doctor: If you develop any symptoms or experience any difficulty in breathing or fever, consult a Doctor immediately.